1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to leather gloves, and more particularly, to a leather glove with inserts located about the middle knuckle portion (proximal interphalangeal joint) of each digit especially adapted to effect the ease of bending the fingers within the glove.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gloves which permit the flexing of the fingers are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,249 issued to Hansson shows a glove with a triangular cut made in the region proximal the metacarpophalangeal joint. This cut does not have any material affixed thereto, merely an opening. The cut exposes the knuckle joint to the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,162 discloses a hockey glove having a lateral padded wart with split formed in the top panel of the fingers. The split in the top panel of the index finger includes an elastic insert made from lycra elastic material. The splits located in the other fingers are not covered with elastic material, and appear to merely be openings similar to those found on the '249 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,162 discloses a glove which has elongated generally rectangular inserts located from about the metacarpophalangeal joint to about the middle phalanx. It appears as if the '162 glove finger receiving portion includes a top, bottom, right and left panel, with the inserts being included in the right and left panels. The instant invention does not have right and left panels and is quite structurally different than the '162 device.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be known to use cuts or slots to increase the flexibility of the motion of a joint, no prior art teaches the method of providing a generally triangular insert on the finger receiving portion about the proximal interphalangeal joint for the pinky, ring, middle and index finger. Nor does the prior art described above teach or suggest a first and second insert placed on the right and left side of the finger receiving portion about the proximal interphalangeal joint of the small (pinky), ring, middle and index finger respectively. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.